A play based on the true story of the women and men who worked for the U.S. Radium Corporation in Orange, N.J., in the 1920s will grace the Salina South High School auditorium stage next week.
The Salina South Theatre Department will present the play Radium Girls April 22, 23, and 24 at 7 p.m. in the Salina South High School auditorium. The two-act play is inspired by the true story of the radium girls by D.W. Gregory.
Ticket prices are $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens/military, and $4 for students. Mask requirements and social distancing protocols will be followed for the performance. Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to performances or online in advance at salinasouththeatre.com. Parking will be accessible from both E. Magnolia Road and Edward Street.
The story will take the audience back to 1926 and the discovery of radium. In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, and luminous watches the latest rage, until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease.
Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Her chief adversary is her former employer, Arthur Roeder. Unfortunately, he’s an idealistic man who cannot bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees.
As the case goes on, however, Grace finds herself battling not just with the U.S. Radium Corporation, but with her own family and friends, who fear that her campaign for justice will backfire.
Mia Dennett plays Grace Fryer and Seth Carter plays Arthur Roeder. Other cast members include Yesenia Torres, Alondra Mendiola, Shelby Stolzenburg, Thomas Moyer, Aiden Heusman, Evan Dickson, Elana Allen, Alexa Duncan, Kirsten Lamia, Aubrey Powell, Ethen Lainer, Elias Torres, Soren Mannebach, Andrew Lagerman, Chantal Torres, Michael Hauser, Comet Mitchell, Kara Davis, Lillian Ardis, Samantha Cox, Megan Graff, Leslie Guardado, Destiny Hamilton, and Meadow Rowson.
Kate Lindsay is the director, with costume design by Kay Engelland and Pam Debold, and set design by Roger Coberly. Diana Geist, Kaydence Dickson, Reese Kimmi, and Jacki Fisher are the stage managers.